This stoneware cheese dish, with coloured and metallic glazes was made by Jenny Beavan in 1977. It was created to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The dish was exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and after the exhibition closed the presentation pieces were allocated to museums all around the country.
Jenny explained that she whilst studying ceramics at college she concentrated on sculptural forms and never made anything practical, as this wasn’t encouraged. However, once she secured a studio at the Albert Street Workshop in Hebden Bridge in 1975, she knew that she wanted to make functional dishes and reinterpret them in a different way. She sought to find enjoyment and adventure in her ceramics.
Her series of cheese dishes illustrated not only popular nursery rhymes, but also more obscure ones. She went on to make butter dishes and jam pots, which evoked nostalgic and sometimes fantastic themes, whilst remaining useable practical vessels.
The motivation for her work is the celebration of objects for domestic use to elevate the everyday into something wonderful. Jenny delights in introducing an element of humour into her work; to raise a smile from the user, an inspiration gleaned from her admiration of delftware.
This object is the February 2026 Object of the Month and is currently on display in the Curtis Museum as part of the NLHF Allen Gallery Redevlopment Project, Alton.
